David Bain marries daughter of close supporter

Liz Davies and David Bain signing the marriage certificate
after the ceremony of their wedding at Trent's Vineyard in
Christchurch yesterday afternoon. New Zealand Herald
Photograph by Sarah Ivey

David Bain yesterday married the daughter of one of his
closest supporters during his second trial.

Mr Bain and Christchurch primary school teacher Liz Davies
tied the knot in a private ceremony at a vineyard.

The pair, who met more than 10 years ago, vowed to spend the
rest of their lives together in front of 80 family and
friends at Trent's Vineyard, on the southern outskirts of
Christchurch.

Mr Bain, dressed in a white shirt, cream coloured tie and
waistcoat with a white rose, was in high spirits before the
ceremony.

The 40-year-old joked and laughed with his three groomsmen,
who were dressed in red waistcoats, without jackets.

He had guests in stitches while waiting for his future wife
to arrive, joking, "She's got 12-and-a-half minutes, and if
she doesn't turn up we'll all go down to the pub."

Mr Bain drove himself to the venue in his own maroon Toyota
Surf 4WD, adorned with a lucky horseshoe in its front grill.

When he arrived and saw reporters, photographers and
cameramen at the entrance to the popular wedding venue, he
threw his hands up in horror.

Security was tight for the ceremony, held in warm conditions
under sycamore trees, surrounded by grapevines and sweeping
paddocks.

Three security staff checked the site two hours before the
nuptials began, and a security checkpoint was set up at the
entrance to the vineyard's long, tree-lined driveway.

"David's wishes are for it not to be in the media," one
security guard was heard briefing colleagues.

The 20-minute ceremony, which began with the celebrant
briefly mentioning Mr Bain's trying past, was interrupted
when three helicopters, commissioned by three separate news
outlets flew overhead.

Several of the guests pulled the fingers at the choppers,
while the celebrant was forced to stop talking because of the
noise, eventually forcing the bride and groom to move under
the cover of an awning.

Close friend, and supporter, former All Black Joe Karam
earlier said he was delighted to attend the couple's
"wonderful day".

Two of Mr Karam's sons were groomsmen.

"There will be dancing and singing," he said, after earlier
saying how the couple had turned down lucrative women's
magazine deals - worth up to $50,000 - to cover their big
day.

He said the pair met 10 to 15 years ago, but romance "didn't
happen until recently".

"I look forward to seeing the family blossom," he said.

The new Mrs Bain arrived in a limousine with tinted windows.

She wore a veil and white dress, while her three bridesmaids
were in red.

"David, I love you truly and deeply, more than all the stars
in the sky," she said in her vows.

She said she was honoured to become his wife, saying he was
an amazing person who she loved more every day.

The pair created their own vows, which included jokes about
promising to wash the dishes and weed the garden.

A cousin of Mr Bain's gave a blessing, white doves sat in an
aviary nearby, and horses grazed in a neighbouring paddock.

When they were announced man and wife, the guests stood,
clapped and cheered, and after the short ceremony a reception
was held at the vineyard.

It's understood the couple will honeymoon in the North
Island.

Mr Bain was convicted in 1995 of murdering his parents and
three siblings and spent 13 years in jail before he was
acquitted in a 2009 retrial.

He is currently waiting to hear if he will be awarded
compensation from the Government over his false imprisonment.

When the couple got engaged in September 2012, Mr Bain's then
future mother-in-law Carolyn Davies said she was "delighted"
to welcome him to the family.

Mrs Davies visited him in prison and billeted him during his
second trial at the High Court in Christchurch, even making
his lunch every day.